#——————————————————————————————————PLEASE NOTE—————————————————————————————————#
#This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the #
#song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research. #
#——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————#

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|| Song: Desert Plains                       ||
|| Band: Judas Priest                        ||
||                                           ||
|| Transcribed by: Panos "The Cliff" Priftis ||
||                                           ||
|| Date: 18th November 2003                  ||
||                                           ||
|| Note: For any suggestions don't hesitate  ||
||            to email me at:                ||
||                                           ||
||  [email protected] ||
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|| Normal Tuning                             ||
||                                           ||
|| G D A E                                   ||
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Join the riffs together by hearing the song.

Riff 1
G|—————————————————————————————————————————————————————|
D|————————————————————————————————————————1—11—————————|
A|—3—333—333—33—1—11———————3—333—333—33—————————1—1—1——|
E|———————————————————1—1—1—————————————————————————————|


Riff 2
G|—————————————————————————————————————————————————|
D|—————————————————————————————————————————————————|
A|————————————1—11—111—11——3—33333—3—33—6—66—66—66—|
E|—4—44—444—4——————————————————————————————————————|

G|————————————————————————————————————————|
D|————————————————————————————————————————|
A|————————————————————————————————————————|
E|—4—44—444—4—44—444—1—11—1111—3—33—3333——|

Bridge x2
G|——————————7—————5———————————7—————7—————5———————————|
D|————————7—————5———————5———7—————7—————5———————5—————|
A|———1/5——————3———————5———5—————5—————3———————5———————|
E|—3————————————————3———————————————————————3—————————|

During guitar solo play this riff repeatedly
G|———————————————————————————————————————————————|
D|———————————————————————————————————————————————|
A|———————————————————————————————————————————————|
E|—5—555—55—555—55—555—55—555—5——1—11—3—33——5—55—|

=============================================================================
==                          TABLATURE EXPLANATION                          ==
=============================================================================
——————————                            ——————————
————5h8——— Hammeron                   ————(8)——— Ghost Note
——————————                            ——————————
————5p8——— Pulloff                    ———8—|8]—— Tie
——————————                            ——————————
————5/8——— Slide Up                   —————x———— Dead Note
——————————                            ——————————
————58——— Slide Down                 ——————————
——————————                            ||——————|| Repeat Start & End
————5~~~—— Vibrato                    ||*————*||
——————————                            ||*————*||
——————————                            ||——————||
=============================================================================


"When a man lies, he murders 
   some part of the world.
  These are the pale deaths
 which men miscall their lives.
     All this I cannot 
  bear to witness any longer
    Cannot the kingdom of
   salvation take me home?"

      — Cliff Burton

About Judas Priest

Judas Priest are a Grammy Award winning English heavy metal band from Birmingham, formed in 1969. Judas Priest's core line-up consists of vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton, K.K. Downing, and bassist Ian Hill. The band has gone through several drummers over the years, though Scott Travis has held the position since 1989. They have been cited as an influence on many heavy metal musicians and bands. Their popularity and status as one of the definitive heavy metal bands has earned them the nickname "Metal Gods" from their song of the same name. They have sold over 35 million albums worldwide.

How to Read Bass Tabs

Bass tablature (tabs) is an easy way to learn songs without needing to read traditional sheet music. Here’s a quick guide to understanding the symbols and techniques commonly found in tabs:

1. The Basics

Strings and Frets:
Each line in a tab represents a string on your bass:
- The top line is the highest-pitched string (G on a 4-string bass).
- The bottom line is the lowest-pitched string (E on a 4-string bass).
Numbers on the lines indicate which fret to press. For example:
```
G|-------------------|
D|-------------------|
A|---3---------------|
E|-------------------|
            
```
This means you play the 3rd fret on the A string.

2. Common Techniques

Hammer-On (h):
Play the first note by picking it, then press down on a higher fret with another finger without picking again.
```
G|-------------------|
D|-------5h7---------|
            
```
Pull-Off (p):
Pluck a note and then "pull off" your finger to let a lower fret ring.
```
G|-------------------|
D|-------7p5---------|
            
```
Slide (/ or \):
Move your finger up (/) or down (\) the fretboard while maintaining pressure.
```
G|-------------------|
D|-------5/7---------|
            
```

3. Advanced Techniques

Bend (b): Push the string up or down to raise the pitch. Example: G|-------7b9---------|
Vibrato (~): Shake the string slightly after playing a note to create a vibrating sound. Example: G|-------7~----------|
Muted Notes (x): Rest your finger lightly on the string without pressing a fret and pluck for a percussive "click" sound.

4. Rhythm and Timing

Tabs don’t always indicate timing, so listen to the song while reading the tab. Wider spaces between numbers mean longer pauses, while closer numbers indicate quicker notes.

5. Slap and Pop

Slap (s): Strike the string with the side of your thumb for a percussive sound.
Pop (p): Pull the string away from the fretboard and let it snap back.

Practice Makes Perfect

Tabs are a great tool to learn songs, but mastering the techniques takes practice. Listen carefully to the original track and play along to lock in the rhythm. Don’t rush — smooth, accurate playing is more important than speed. Happy jamming! 🎸

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Judas Priest — Desert Plains bass tabs